A New Era of Global HR Competency Model - Evidence from Global HR Positions

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: This paper proposes an empirical impact for developing an individual Global Mindset within the Global HR department. Background: Here, we make an explicit assumption that a Global Leader needs a Global Mindset to be effective and for this reason, we employ the term "Global Leadership Mindset" (GLM). Recent (Global) HR competency models focus on the tasks and structuring the HR tasks into nine core competencies such that an HR professional must be effective in ethical practice, communication, consultation, critical evaluation, relationship management, organizational leadership, business acumen and navigation, and, importantly for this paper, global and cultural sensitivity. No study currently exists in which GLM competencies are relevant for different Global HR positions. Methodology: We conducted a comprehensive survey by observing 256 responses from 27 different global HR positions on which 75 global competencies are relevant in their day-to-day work. Based on this groundwork, the paper makes further attempt by proposing an integrative global HR competency framework whereby we identify development dimensions fundamental for developing global leaders. Findings: Our findings show a top 10 list of the most relevant global leadership mindset (GLM) competencies in Global HR. We further investigated 12 different HR positions and assessed relevant GLM competencies relevant in different global career stages. Our findings show that self-management skills, emotional/affective, and cognitive competencies are most important for entry-level positions. Global leadership skills play a vital role for medium-level positions, and senior-level positions require emotional/affective competencies, followed by cognitive aspects. Impact on Society: Our study proposed the top ten GLM HR competencies highlighted as proxy measures to demonstrate essential skill sets required for individuals within the Global HR function. Our research findings are consistent with other studies that emphasize the importance of cultural knowledge (Osland 1995, Adler 1997) and the individual´s cognitive skills fundamental for GLM´s success (Levy et al. 1999). Existing studies highlight three core GLM competencies, such as importance of influencing others, making ethical decisions, and leading change (Bass and Steidlmeier 1999, Canterino, Cirella, Piccoli and Shani 2020), but only a few studies focus on the assessment or testing of these GLM competencies (e.g., Herd, Alagaraja and Cumberland 2016, Cumberland et al. 2016, Kim and Mclean 2015). Hence, our study attempted to elucidate the fundamentals underlying GLM skills and competency development, using multiple functional global HR roles to identify the significance of the competencies discussed in this study.